


Shared Day

by BluBooThalassophile



Series: HfaB Universe [12]
Category: Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Birthday Fluff, Family Fluff, Fluff, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-04
Updated: 2019-09-04
Packaged: 2020-10-10 00:13:34
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,075
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20518775
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BluBooThalassophile/pseuds/BluBooThalassophile
Summary: Today is a day they share; and it's the first day in years that he's been in town to just say hello to Alfred.





	Shared Day

Jason had missed a single person in his self-imposed exile; and he would sooner boil his tongue in hot oil than ever admit it. Because admitting it would mean that he was welcoming the fucking Bats back into his life again, and he was not. No. No he was not. He would not deal with Bat-drama of any sorts for a third time in his life. He wasn’t foolish enough to do that; despite being stupid enough to get caught by little bird after stealing her mind.

However, he was already east coast, and he was kind of needing to pass through Gotham on a lead, so he kind of didn’t have a problem with doing a bit of evasion and spying. It wasn’t like it could be harder than what he did as Red X and besides, it wasn’t like Bats would be expecting him so they wouldn’t be looking for him.

Which was what he told himself as he lay there scouting the layout of the Manor through his scope.

Dickhead was still in San Fran, Baby Bird and Demon Spawn were here though, and he watched as Alfred handed them their lunches and loaded them into the car. Selina was there, pregnant, waving off Bruce who was on the phone. Cass and Steph appeared as if by magic, and received a scolding about running before they were handed lunches and herded into the car. Jason smirked, this would be so easy.

He watched B wave off Selina and Alfred before getting in the driver’s seat and starting down the drive. Selina waited a bit before she darted for a motorcycle, leaping onto a bike, grabbing a helmet and racing out the gate. Alfred stood there looking aloofly vexed and Jason took that moment to move. He was swift, sneaking onto the property via the old oak, looking around he saw the motion sensors he had hacked earlier to do this visit. Pausing he waited a moment, watching the grounds. There wasn’t much in the way of staff here, never had been, but there was enough to make him pause.

B always had a few gardeners on hand but that was it.

Not sensing or seeing anyone he made his way for the house, getting to the kitchen door he almost yelped when it was opened by Alfred, who raised a grey brow at him.

“If you are finished with your attempt at sneaking, you might come in for a spot of tea and biscuits,” Alfred said primly.

“Heyya Alfie,” he smiled.

“Master Jason,” Alfred’s lips twitched a bit, but he let Jason in regardless. “I must admit your skills have vastly improved.”

“Thanks,” he nodded.

“I would not have known you were here, if it were not for the date,” Alfred remarked.

“Well…” he started but then shrugged. “Hear from Bazza and Dave Boy?” he asked taking a seat at the kitchen table.

“They have sent words, for both of us,” Alfred smiled as he handed Jason the envelopes.

“I…”

“These are from your family, and this is from me,” Alfred said.

“Hey now! Today wasn’t for that!” Jason protested.

“Pish-posh,” Alfred dismissed as he put on the kettle. “I believe that we share the date,” he said kindly.

“I brought this,” he smiled as he produced the package. Alfred blinked twice at it. “It’s not stolen, I bought it,” Jason promised.

“My my, aren’t we coming up in the world,” Alfred mused dryly, though a smile was tugging on his lips.

“Yeah-yeah, do you ever gripe on Dickhead for creating the persona to begin with?” Jason asked. He was a bit put out that Alfred thought he was a thief by his own merit (he was, but he didn’t create Red X).

“Many a times, Master Bruce and I have both thoroughly scolded Master Dick for his brash decision to create and lose the Red X persona, though I must admit you have grown into the role a little too well,” Alfred said sitting at the table.

“Yeah, well, little bird smashed that job to smitherines,” he sighed, dragging a hand through his hair. “Hey, have they figured it out yet?”

“No, not for a lack of trying,” Alfred said ruefully.

“Too bad none of them have thought to check your footlocker,” Jason grinned.

“Since that incident they should not have access to it.”

Jason grinned hearing that. It was truly an accident on his part, about four weeks in living in the Manor, on a night he couldn’t really sleep, he had decided to sneak around. This was shortly before he found out about B being Batman, and naturally that was a night B was out as Batman and Alfred was manning the helm of intel and comms. This was before Babs did it, and before she was Oracle. Jason’s snooping had uncovered an old military footlocker, and opening it he had uncovered much about Alfred Pennyworth. There was a shit ton of metals, along with many photos, including one of a beautiful woman, and Alfred with three men; two of whom he knew. There were other things in there as well, treasures that mattered to Alfred; his mother’s pearls, his father’s cufflinks, his fiancée’s ring, a few mementoes from places he had been, a gun, a knife, his birth certificate; revealing his date of birth, along with his American citizenship, and British citizenship; several passports, and a few other pictures.

Today was Alfred’s birthday.

Today was his birthday.

And it had made Jason feel; when he was a child; so much closer to the man he had come to think of as a grandfather. Alfred had been mad at him; for pawing through his things, but Jason was incessant about knowing more about Alfred. His apology was a birthday gift to Alfred literally a week after the incident (though B obviously hadn’t known it was Alfred’s birthday gift Jay had bought that trip). And that had lead to him getting to know the stories behind the photos, being introduced to the few remaining living friends Alfred had, to seeing the butler in a new light; Jason never wanted to be like B, he wanted to be just like Alfred.

“Happy Birthday, Alfie!” he grinned.

Alfred smiled a bit as he slowly started pulling open the wrapping paper; the job was a bit disheveled because Jason had done it on his motorcycle. A chick in car over had obviously digged it as she rolled down her window to flirt with him about it.

“You can just rip it open like a normal person!” Jason teased, getting up when the kettle started whistling. Prepping the tea; Alfred’s favorite he grabbed the appropriate biscuits with the tea and sat at the table.

“It’s marvelous Master Jason,” Alfred smiled at the gift.

“I saw it a while back, thought of you and bought it,” Jason admitted. The pocket watch was something he had bought years back, when he had first escaped from the League of Assassins; before he had gone to the All-Caste. When he had held hope of returning home, only for that to be shattered. He couldn’t even kill a gasoline soaked Joker, and B had thoroughly replaced and upgraded from him; so what was the fucking point of even trying to come back. But he had bought that pocket watch; for Alfred, and before his life was shot truly to hell.

“It is beautiful,” Alfred said checking it out, pulling it out of the box with care.

“I’m glad you like it!” Jason grinned happily at the knowledge he had pleased Alfred.

“I have something for you as well,” Alfred admitted, pulling open his jacket and pulling a thing, rectangle box from his jacket.

Jason tilted his head a bit at it, but accepted the gift as well, he opened the box, moved aside the tissue paper and blinked several times at what was in his hand.

“I… I can’t accept this Alfred,” he sputtered dumbly.

“It was going to be your sixteenth birthday gift, as you are the only one with an appreciation for such things,” Alfred said crisply as he served them tea, Jason blinked a few times. Looking back at what was in the box he slowly reached in and pulled it out. It was a knife; not particularly beautiful, it wasn’t even particularly threatening to look at.

It was an old Fairbairn-Skyes, simple, and beautiful in it’s lethal use. It was something Jason had always admired in Alfred’s footlocker, he had loved it actually. It was a great fighting knife; it was the knife Alfred himself had taught Jason to use in a fight. Bruce hadn’t approved of that, but Alfred said a knife could save his life. He was not wrong. All of Alfred’s training, for knives and guns had actually saved his life in various situation since his death. They had never been skills he needed before his death, as B would never permit a thug to do real harm, but after his death they were skills of survival. Life was truly: Survival of the Fittest. Ra’s and the All-Caste had loved Darwin obviously.

“I…” Jason stared at the blade which had saved Alfred so many times in his youth, and then back to Alfred.

“You have many knives, I have no doubt, but I remember you being particularly fond of that one, and as no one; other than Master Damian; would have the appreciation for the blade, it should go to you. Saved my life many times,” Alfred said fondly.

“Why not give it to the bat brat?” Jason asked, carefully pulling it from it’s old leather sheath; which had been cared for and repaired many times.

“Master Damian’s affinity for blades is not to care for, but to use. He has a blatant lack of care for his weapons; including his own sword.I would rather the knife have a proper home, than to be used and discarded.”

“I… thank you, Alfred,” Jason smiled. Sheathing the blade he strapped it to his right thigh. It was the best gift he had ever received.

“So where to next, Master Jason?” Alfred asked as they started eating the cookies; well biscuits. Brits named shit weird; like bullocks; what the hell were bullocks!? Jason jolted himself from the thought and looked thoughtfully at Alfred. He could always tell Alfred his plans, Alfred wouldn’t tell B, no matter what.

“I’m heading to your neck of the woods actually, I got a lead on Talia,” he said.

“And why are you tracking Miss al Ghul?” Alfred asked dryly.

“Well… for starters, she’s a lying, no good, double crossing bitch who put me in a demon’s crosshairs; as well as putting me on the Bat radar; of which I was not on before I might add!” Jason grumbled sourly.

“And where exactly are you heading?”

“Well I thought to head for Inverness, and work my way from there,” he admitted.

“I see.” Alfred nodded.

“It’s not like she can hide from me forever Alfie! She trained me so I know she’s bound to slip up,” Jason promised.

“Well, I will have Bazza and Dave Boy meet you, they would love to catch up to you,” Alfred remarked.

“Uh…”

“I will also be requiring the number of the mobile Miss Roth was so kind to provide you with,” Alfred stated.

“Uh… sure? I can take international calls on it, I think. I think even interdimensional calls and texts because Constantine called me earlier,” Jason said.

“I will try not to take offense that you took the liberty of providing the number to Mister Constantine and not myself,” Alfred remarked.

“Actually, little bird programmed the damn phone, not me, though I’ll happily take your number,” he grinned. Alfred took the phone and put in his information, Jason also suckered Alfred into a photo with him, saving it as the contact photo.

“I gotta go, I have a plane to catch, Happy Birthday Alfie!” he smiled as he stood.

“It is always a pleasure to see you; Happy Birthday, Master Jason,” Alfred caught him and pulled him in for a rare hug, holding tight before letting him go.

“See you around.”

“You will be texting me when you land, Master Jason,” Alfred warned.

“Of course, I have to text the Queen anyway!” he grinned and darted out the door as he made his way off the property and to his bike.


End file.
